2ME still number 1 with Arabic speakers

A recent survey into the media consumption habits of Sydney and Melbourne Arabic speakers has put 2ME ahead of any other Australian-based, Arabic language media outlet. 

2ME had nearly 30% more listeners than their nearest competitors in either radio or print.

The survey, which was conducted by McNair Ingenuity Research, is the third in 10 years, with similar surveys conducted in 2004 and again in 2008.  AM station 2ME, with near two decades of service, has always rated first with Arabic-speaking audiences. 

Station founder and owner Sid Merhi attributes the station’s enduring popularity to the fact that it is firmly apolitical and secular.  “We set a high journalistic standard right from the start and have pursued it, people don’t want bias, they want entertainment and good journalism.”

This philosophy ahs helped the station to remain a trusted voice for Arabic speakers from Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Libya and more recent arrivals from Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea.

2ME’s credibility as a news source led to the station becoming a partner station with the BBC’s World Service Arabic in 1998.  It provides reports to the BBC in Arabic when events happen in Australia that are of international interest.

The station has nearly 30,000 weekly listeners, more listeners than its competitors in every age demographic.  A recent move to syndicate the station across the Niche Radio network means that 2ME Australia can now be heard from 3-5pm daily on 29 free to air frequencies nationally.

Sid Merhi explains: “The Arabic-speaking community are big consumers of radio and time spent listening is huge; particularly with talkback, as many Arabic speakers cannot read ArabicBeing able to access 2ME nationally will be fantastic for this fast-growing community... This is a unique market Niche and one which Radio 2ME Australia continues to explore and benefit from and simultaneously service the wider community.”

Arabic is spoken in 21 Countries in the Middle East. In New South Wales alone, Arabic is the second most spoke language next to English according to the latest Commonwealth Census data.
 
Contacts: [email protected], phone  0418676200

Tags: